Complex UPS Backup Scenario

Hello all. I've been a lurker on the forums for awhile, but finally registered. I'm hoping to get some input on some battery backups.

I work at a post production house and am needing to purchase several heavy duty UPSes, most of them for use on computers that do a lot of 3D rendering.

First I have a general question. I know power consumption will vary depending installed PCI Express cards and current tasks on the computer, but can that limit ever exceed that of the power supply? Assuming that's an obvious no.

I'm in need of 4 battery backups that will be sufficient to power both a MacPro and a PC and a single 23" Apple Cinema Display or 24" Apple LED Display (attached via KVM switch). I'll only need one monitor powered and it looks like the max draw is 250W for the LED displays (with a MacBookPro attached) and 90W for the LCD displays. The PCs have 750W power supplies and the Macs are different models, but I'd say they're all around 1,000W? Is a 2,000VA UPS sufficient?

To add to the mix, there will be a Boxx RenderBOXX10400, which has two 520W power supplies. I assume that once I add a monitor to this I'll need at least a 1500VA UPS?

 

Greetings, a.saliga.

I would imagine the answer to your question about a PSU's limit would be 'probably not'. The 750W rating of your supplies is probably a 'max rating while conforming to a standard spec' kind of thing, so it wouldn't be shocking (sic) if a PSU were to be able to pump out 751 watts.
I think you're safe, however, in assuming that in the real world that scenario will never happen.

This calculator might give you an idea of the total power draw of your systems.

I'm going to add my standard UPS mantra: Other than power conditioning, the main purpose of an UPS/Bypass system is to provide adequate battery backup for an orderly shutdown of a supplied system.

 

On the question of video cards and max. PSU wattage, it depends on the quality of the PSU. Although it's never a good idea to drive a PSU above its rated watts, some of the higher quality brands (such as Corsair and Antec) can handle occasional bursts that slightly exceed the stated wattage. If you think you're exceeding the rated PSU wattage on a regular basis, it's a good idea to upgrade to a higher wattage PSU in order to avoid a failure that might damage other components in the process.

Regarding the UPS setup:

If you go to APC's web site, they have some calculation programs that may assist you.

Generally, it's a good idea to have the UPS wattage rating at least equal that that of the PC (based on the PSU rated wattage) plus the rated wattage of the monitor and other perphials connected to the UPS. For example, if the PC's PSU is rated at 650 watts and the monitor is 90 watts, you'll want a UPS able to handle at least a 740-watt draw. If you are not sure on the PSU wattage for Macs, Apple's tech specs page or an e-mail to their customer support should provide specifics. The "VA" rating of a UPS is often greater than the actual maximum wattage it can handle. Read the fine print on the UPS package box or tech specs to verify the maximum wattage draw.

Another consideration is if the UPS box, Macs and your software support automatic shutdown software supplied by the UPS mfr. In the event of an extended power outage, this automatically performs a safe shutdown of the PC versus a sudden disconnect in power when the UPS batteries are tapped out.

If you cannot get automatic shutdown software to sync with your system, keep in mind the "maximum running time" stated by UPS manufacturers is often grossly inflated. As an example, the 550-watt UPS on my main desktop stated "up to 30 minutes run time"; I'm lucky to get 5-6 minutes at average processor usage or 10-12 minutes in standby; less if the UPS' battery is 2-3 years old and on its last legs. Given this, in the event of a power failure that lasts more than a minute, you should immediately begin manual shutdown of the PCs.

Finally (since you appear to be new at UPS setups), never hook a laser printer into a UPS. Their wattage draw spikes when coming out of standby (energy saving) mode; this will cause the UPS' internal circuit breaker to trip and result in an immediate hard shutdown of everything connected to it.

Hope this info. helps.

 

Good point. Although UPS boxes claim to have built-in surge protection, their Joule rating (measure of protection) is often anemic.

My systems are set up with a strong surge protector (2500 Joules or greater) in between the wall outlet and UPS box.

 

Thanks Caliaban. I've always wondered about the PSU output.

Thanks for all the useful info gman863. Since all of the animators are going to have a PC added to their existing Mac setup, is it wise to use two UPSes? Can one large UPS auto power off a Mac and a PC? I'm assuming there will be only one USB or serial port.

 

Given the actual number of minutes a UPS will run a system (especially one running intensive graphics), I would err on the side of caution and use a separate UPS for each computer/monitor combo.

Also, if the software runs several minutes to finish a file (such as AVCHD editing), consider buying a bigger UPS for each PC to provide more run time.

My final tip may be impractial; however it's worth considering if your company has time critical projects that could result in huge losses in the event of an extended power outage. On top of the UPS backups you could have a backup generator (natural gas or propane) installed that kicks in automatically when the power goes out. After Ivan, Katrina, Rita and Ike you would be surprised at the number of businesses along the Gulf Coast that have done this in anticipation of the next major hurricane. (I know Tulsa doesn't have hurricanes but you do have tornados and ice storms. )

 

This sounds like a fun project.

Have you considered an UPS system? I helped maintain a Best FERRUPS 12kVa system for a few years (Best Power is Eaton's legacy line) which serviced a department similar to yours.
Ran like a dream, with easy maintenance. Completely configurable, and the added plus of only one unit to worry about helps with scheduling downtime.

Something to think about.

 

The situation is actually quite simple, don't over complicate things and end up getting equipment you don't need.


For each Mac set up, you can easily get away with a 1500VA and have room to spare.


The PSU is never going to go to 750W and it will never cross that either. Your PSU is going to operate at 300-350W max at any given time.


You definitely don't need to buy a 2000W UPS, that's an overkill and not suitable for your situation.


Keep things simple and extremely effective.

 

You can get one large UPS for the whole office and back up all of the computers. However that might not be cost effective.


If not one big UPS, ideally every machine should have it's own UPS.


Ps - stay away from the tempting yet crappy CS, RS, or Cyberpower cheapy models. They're crap.

 

Agreed. APC may be a bit pricier but, out of dozens I've installed for clients, not one has failed me yet.

 

Thanks for all the help guys. We decided to go with APC BX1500G units at 1500VA, at one per computer. This seems sufficient.

One final question that I'm not sure if anyone could answer. but the red light on the back of the unit that says "Building Wiring Fault" is lit up. Is this a problem that needs to be addressed or more of an FYI?

 

Hi

I had an APC unit years ago that died on me (battery needed to be replaced, and I never got around to it). The "Building Wiring Fault" notes that there is a wiring problem in the circuitry leading to the power outlet... most likely a grounding issue. I had that light, and found that a ground leading to the power panel of my house was disconnected.

A fault like that can be detrimental in the event of a power brownout, power outage, power spike (from the towers supplying your place with power), electrical storms (think lightening), etc.

I, of course, fixed the grounding issue myself, but I'm sure with a building like that, you'll have to get your maintenance man or a contractor to look into it. Either way, it's worth fixing, since I believe the power unit tracks whether that error was present during a damaging electrical difficulty, and therefore APC might not cover your equipment.

 

Thanks mcsmc.

This is very good to know. I'm getting an electrician to look into it ASAP. Nothing like a 100 year old building to provide the "great" wiring to support dozens of computers.

 

Good catch! A UPS or basic surge protector that isn't grounded will offer very little (if any) protection for lightening. It's the same principle as having a proper ground on a TV antenna or satellite dish: Unless a ground wire is there to pick up and dissipate the excess voltage the hardware will take a hit.

Although a bit off-topic, it's also important to check any GFCI outlets (the ones with the reset button bewteen the two plug-ins) in your home. If the fault light is on, they will not protect against electrical shock unless they are properly wired and grounded.

 

Unfortunately we only rent two floors of the building we are currently in, and the landlord isn't the greatest when it comes to upkeep. He said he talked to an electrical engineer and he told him all we need to do is plug in some surge protectors because it'd be too much to retro-fit the wiring.

I say all that to share this link to APC's knowledgebase I found. It explains the "Building Wiring Fault" light, and also seems to say the surge protection may indeed not work if it's not grounded and APC will not cover damage.

http://sturgeon.apcc.com/kbasewb2.nsf/For+External/92B44282F9EA091685256722006C4DA4?OpenDocument

 

That's unfortunate that the landlord won't fix the wiring issue.

The only option I can think of is to try plugging the UPS into a surge protector, and see if that makes the fault light go away. If the fault light remains (which I'm expecting it will), then just keep a surge protector between the wall outlet and the UPS... one with enough warranty coverage for the equipment connected (including the UPS). In fact, you might just want to use an APC surge protector (check this link out... and contrary to what the article says, you can plug the UPS into a surge protector as long as you don't plug other things into the surge protector).

Here's a decent surge protector I found, and here's APC's warranty page. If you do use a surge protector between the wall and the UPS, ensure you use outlet plugs in the surge protector to prevent people from plugging other stuff into it.

 

Hmm. Good to know, and thanks for the link to APC's page about it. It's looking like this may be my "solution".

 

If all else fails, there is a low-tech solution for adding grounding. I used it in my old house (circa 1940) to properly ground the washing machine and the outlet my UPS was plugged into:

Run a coated copper wire from the ground screw on the inside of the outlet to the nearest metal fresh water pipe (sink, drinking fountain, etc.). Secure the bare end of the wire to the pipe using a small radiator hose type clamp. This will create a ground using the water pipe as the grounding rod.

If you don't want to mess with taking out the outlet, you can accomplish the same thing by attaching the first end of the wire securely to a 3-into-2 "cheater" plug adapter (about $1 at Home Depot or Lowe's).

Although this isn't current electrical code spec, my thought is any grounding beats no grounding at all.

 

I was trying to think of a good grounding solution for a non-ground floor, and it seems your idea would work!

 

Mcsmc,

I found a good way to implement your solution of using a surge protector. This is the unit I've chosen.

Out of curiosity though, doesn't the UPS have built-in surge protection? What I'm I gaining by this?

 

Hi

Nifty little surge protector you found!

Yes, the UPS has built-in surge protection. However, I was just hoping that adding a surge protector would remove the wiring fault light. If it doesn't, then at least you have the warranty of the surge protector to fall back on IN CASE your equipment fries for some reason. Those are the two reasons I made the suggestion. The grounding idea gman gave is definitely worth a shot, as well, and if I were you would do something like that, too (especially since you can't get the electrical wiring in the building fixed).

 

Most UPS boxes do have a limited amount of surge protection. The amount of protection is rated in Joules; the higher the better. If a UPS has <2000 Joules of protection I usually place a surge protector in between the UPS and wall outlet with at least a 2000 Joule rating.

I'm not an electrician; however my understanding of surge protectors is they require a ground in order to dissipate the excess voltage caused by lightening or a power surge.

Another issue is the fine print in the equipment damage guarantees. If you file a claim for lightening/power surge damage under the surge protector manufacturer's warranty, the manufacturer:

1. Excludes damages caused if the unit isn't properly grounded, and
2. Will inspect the surge protector and damaged equipment prior to paying a claim. If they can somehow prove the surge protector wasn't properly grounded they can deny the damage claim.

To be extra safe, I'd also add a (grounded) surge protector that covers your Internet connection (DSL or Cable connections) between the incoming line and the modem. I have seen both modems and PCs nuked by lightening strikes coming through the DSL/Cable lines. If you have T1, it's best to contact your provider for instructions on how to set this up.

 

Good to know. Thanks again for all the help guys. I feel a bit better now with this makeshift solution. Hopefully it's only another year before we outgrow this building.

 

L O L :-D

The worst building I ever worked in was an old radio station. More than once, when the electric heat kicked on in the winter it would blow the main breaker and the station would go off the air.

 

Haha. Wow. And I thought the jungle of telephone wires in the basement closet here was bad.